Whenever a prominent awards ceremony nears, there’s always a clamor for introducing of new categories to recognize unsung work and delight the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that cinema institutions don’t do it. Yet it remains a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications actually cover many game types, making space possible for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- A different innovative game received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Just some brain-teasers barely qualified for niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent compact experiences, yet the craft behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. It would be easy to populate a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge game development, producing among essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
